Blood Rite Saga, Season One Box Set

by Dylan Keefer

  Soon, Prudence had hair which moved a lot more, with what Gladys called long side bangs on the left side of her face, coming down to her jaw. There were soft waves in her hair, which made the hat on her head look a lot better. Her hair length was a little below her collarbones. Prudence didn’t think a simple haircut could make her feel that much better, but she felt like a new person. The last traces from her time in the mausoleum have been erased. She wondered if Milo and Charlotte would like it. And if anyone that knew her would recognize her.

  Prudence paid and thanked Gladys. “Can you tell me where the library is? I forget.”

  After Gladys had given her directions, Prudence went to the library. She immediately found a spare computer and sat down. Using what she learned from John at the police station, she typed the name of the town she was in and added history afterward. Prudence scrolled down the articles. She wanted to know exactly when the town was founded. While she typed, she couldn't help thinking about the feeling she had while John taught her. Maybe, if or when she was safe, she could take him up on his offer. Prudence stopped herself from thinking about it now. She needed to focus.

  A few long hours later Prudence felt her eyes stinging from staring at the screen. Aside from a young man who was insistent on making a conversation out of asking her questions about what she was researching, no one bothered her.

  Prudence got up and moved through the shelves, looking for books and reading passages when her phone rang. She apologized to the strict-looking librarian and went outside.

  “Where are you?” Charlotte’s voice rang out.

  “Library.”

  “I’ll be there in five minutes to give ya what ya need.”

  “Sure.”

  Charlotte approved of the change. “Ya look awesome. Gladys did a great job.”

  “She did. I also heard something.” When Prudence explained what she heard Charlotte laughed.

  “Those old gossips. That’s pretty much what I expect of them.”

  “I’m glad. I didn’t.” Prudence admitted. She wasn’t that surprised information spread fast. But hearing someone talking about her friend like that was unsettling.

  “Is it true that Milo didn’t know about the… things your family did?”

  “His mother was insistent that he go to college and get out of here. He was the one that made sure I was left alone when I said I was going to medical school. And then he moved here so I wouldn’t be alone.”

  “That sounds sweet.”

  “He is a sweet guy. I sometimes feel like he is the only one that always cared about me.” Charlotte had a vague smile on her face. Prudence could tell she remembered something.

  “Eh, people still assume the worst. Ignore them. But it’s nice to know what the whole town knows.” Charlotte hugged Prudence goodbye.

  Prudence came back. After acquiring a library card, she took four books with her, to the surprise of the librarian. She stuffed them in her bag then looked for a place she could sit down and read. That turned out to be a coffee shop. The sun wasn’t that strong due to the cloudy weather. Prudence could remove her hat and the sweater she was wearing over her short-sleeved dress. She ordered some tea and a scone but found herself engrossed in the book.

  “You seem to be having a nice day. Has the cold passed?”

  The voice was familiar. Prudence lifted her head and came face to face with John. He was regular clothes, and his hair was in a ponytail. "It's on its way out. It's nice to be able to move around like this. Are you having a nice day?"

  “I will if I can join you.” The sentence would have been flirting if John’s expression wasn’t so tame.

  Prudence was glad he seemed to be respecting her decision. “Sure, I could use the company of a friend.”

  John sat down, ordering a coffee. “I like your hair.”

  “Thanks.” Prudence ruffled it.

  “What are you reading?”

  "Oh, it's historical fiction. I like books, but I haven't had the chance to read in a long while." Prudence assumed she liked books. When she was in the library, she liked leafing through them.

  “I don’t read much either, but they can be fun. I assume jumping in a familiar hobby would make it easier.”

  “Well,” Prudence took a deep breath. She didn’t know why she would share this with him. But she wanted to talk to someone who knew her only as an amnesiac and not as an amnesiac who had killed two people. And who knows how many more. “I’m in a strange city, and all I can remember is facts from the sixteen hundreds, from my classes apparently.” Prudence put the book down.

  “That would be confusing. You’re basically time traveling.” John laughed. “But I guess Milo and Charlotte helped.”

  “Being around people does. I can navigate around and, even if I don’t remember anything, I can learn how to function again.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking what happened to you?” John took a sip of his coffee.

  “Car accident. I had been in a taxi and apparently hit my head quite severely.” Prudence remembered she and Charlotte agreed not to get her a driver’s license since she didn’t know how to drive. It was easy reciting the story. “I’m almost fully healed, aside from my memory anyway.”

  “Well, this is a nice place to heal. I like this city.”

  “I do too.” Prudence looked around. “I like that I can experience it for the first time now.”

  “I assume you have a lot of people calling you, asking you how you are.”

  “Well, some.” Prudence lied. “Being a student doesn’t really leave a lot of time for socializing.”

  “Student?”

  “Yes, I’ve been getting my Masters in History, specializing in the colonization of the US.”

  “Wow, I’m impressed.”

  Prudence smiled. “Thanks.” She took a sip of her tea and a bite from her scone. This felt like more than a coffee. She found out she didn’t mind it.

  “Oh, I think the museum has an exhibit about that today.” John tapped his fingers on the table, trying to remember. “Yeah, I think that was this week.”

  “That’s wonderful. I was wondering what to do with the rest of my day.”

  “Plus, it might jog something.”

  “Yup. What are you doing today?”

  “Oh, I need to pick up my sister’s kid from practice and then we're going to the port. Otherwise, I’d join you.” Prudence noticed how John’s smile widened when he talked about the child.

  “That’s okay. How old is your… nephew?”

  “Niece. She’s eleven, and she wants to be a police officer. Or a marine biologist. I think. That was last week, though. She might have changed her mind now.” He laughed.

  “Children are like that. She sounds wonderful.” Prudence wondered if she had any children out there. If she could even have them. Was she even the type to want a family?

  “Yeah.” John pulled out a photo from his back pocket, showing a little blonde girl in pigtails.

  “She’s beautiful.”

  After a few more minutes of chit-chat, enough for Prudence to finish her scone and tea, she left John in the coffee shop with a warm goodbye. He remained at the coffee table, to finish his coffee. Prudence released a relieved breath that her fangs didn’t extend this time, even when he got up to hug her. His heartbeat was faster than Milo’s or Charlotte, even when the latter one yelled her head off. His body temperature also seemed higher. She didn’t know if it was her or him.

  She checked the shops on her way to the museum. She only bought things she felt uncomfortable borrowing, so it meant she visited the lingerie store and left with two bags.

  The museum did have an exhibit about the Colonial era, which she was glad about. There was a lot of art, so Prudence got to see her world. Some of the pictures were evoking familiar feelings, no matter how painful. No memories, though. She was going to be sad about that, but then she realized that if she had a memory flash right now, she would feel a lot of pain. And curling up in a ball in
such a public place was not something she could do. As she was walking around with a vague smile on her face, a picture made her stop.

  The photo was a group portrait, lovingly painted and probably restored several times. There were four women and five men, all dressed in finery. Prudence focused on a man in the back right.

  He looked tall, at least taller than everyone else, with dark hair falling over his equally dark eyes. His skin was pale, and he looked younger than his expression. He had chiseled features, a strong jaw, and a long narrow nose which fit with what appeared to be a very lanky body. Prudence felt she knew him. But also, she felt her heart speed up. Whether it was because of fear or excitement, she didn’t know.

  She spent a long time studying the photo. The building they were in front of was a hospital that had stopped existing a while back. She felt like it wasn't really as important or recognizable to her. Most of the others in the photo felt human, aside from a lady with ashen hair and brown eyes too big for her round face and a stocky old man who stood weirdly, like he was used to there being more of him. Prudence didn't want to jump to conclusions about those two, but something in her head told her the dark-haired man was the vampire who brought her here.

  The other two women were both brown haired and solemn. They looked like sisters. The three men looked very different from one another. One was short and pudgy the second was a bit taller but wider still while the third almost blended in with the background. The man Prudence assumed to be a vampire stood out too much, and despite the seriousness of his expression, he seemed to be the one happiest to be here.

  Prudence scanned the plaque under it for names. She connected all the people from left to right, but when she came to the man, all it said was ‘unknown.'

  “Damn,” she muttered. None of the other names felt familiar either.

  “You’re looking for something?” An old man Prudence guessed to be the one in charge of the exhibit approached her. He was short, balding, with a red and white plaid suit and a black bowtie.

  “Oh, I was just curious about this picture, specifically this man.” Prudence pointed at the picture.

  “Oh, yes that man is interesting. I have cataloged every photo here extensively, and more even, but I have never managed to find his name in a record, and he shows up in pictures years apart. Odd.” The old man looked up hopefully at Prudence. “Want to see?”

  “Oh yes, that sounds very interesting.” Prudence smiled widely and nodded. She could see the man’s eyes brighten at the fact someone was interested in what he had to say.

  The old man walked her around the exhibit, showing her every photo. The dark-haired man was depicted a lot of times. Sometimes in places where one would think they just used a general looking person as a stand-in. Like a picture depicting people putting out a fire.

  "This is 1615; this is 1667. And he looks exactly the same. If this was just a model they used, he got around."

  Prudence stood around and acted interested, while inside counting the data she received. The fact he didn’t age noticeably convinced her that he was a vampire. He was obviously able to at least pass as white since no one was dismissive of him and he seemed to be the man in charge of things in several depictions. He also spent a lot of time in the New World, helping like a Good Samaritan. He seemed invested in what was going on around him. Could a vampire care about humans like this?

  The old man was positively vibrating as Prudence got him to take her in the back, to look through the archives. She found it easy to listen to him and ask questions. He flipped over photos and paintings, showed her all kinds of things and never seemed to slow down, despite the fact he must have been around sixty.

  Prudence patiently waited until he was called away. He thought her a nice, meek girl, so he didn't even hesitate to leave her alone for ‘just one minute.'

  When he left, Prudence immediately rifled through everything as neatly and quietly as possible. She got to a stack of photos from the 1800s and froze when she found him in the background of one. He looked exactly the same, aside from his clothes. He tried to fit in so much he vanished unless you were looking for him.

  She couldn’t believe it. Pulling out her phone, she unlocked in and pressed around frantically until she realized where the camera function was. She focused the phone on the photo until it looked clear and pressed the button with the same shape on it as the one on the previous button a few times. Hoping she caught what she wanted, she continued looking.

  As she rummaged through the things, the phone still in her hand shivered and rang. Prudence answered.

  "Where are ya?" Charlotte's voice was higher than normal, and she sounded agitated. From the outside noise and her heavy breathing Prudence could tell she was running.

  “Museum basement.”

  “Milo raised the alarm. I’m running as fast as I can, do the same.”

  Prudence nodded, then remembered Charlotte couldn’t see her. “I’ll be there.” Prudence nodded and then put her phone in her bag. She had just picked it up when the old man returned.

  “Oh, you’re leaving?”

  “Trust me I don’t want to.” Prudence extended a handshake. “But I was called away and need to hurry. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

  When the man shook her hand, Prudence made her way through the museum then broke into a run. She zigzagged between people, who ducked out of her way.

  She focused on the house as she made her way down the street and through the crowd, retracing her steps. Her speed steadily increased from human to vampire the closer she came to the house, and the fewer people there were in the street.

  A sharp scent hit her nostrils. Blood. Prudence's vision tunneled, and her stomach twisted into a knot. When she heard a crash and glass breaking, her blood boiled over. Her feet barely touched the ground as she bolted in the house, up the stairs, and down the hallway, following the sounds. Prudence stopped when she saw Charlotte's back.

  Charlotte was standing in the hallway, the gun in her hands pointed at a woman in old tattered clothes and messy short hair. The woman was somehow too tall and too thin for the frame she had, her skin deathly pale. Prudence didn’t think anyone could look even more like a vampire, even if they tried. The woman had lifted Milo off his feet and slammed him into the wall. She was trying to both not break the grip she had around his neck, but at the same time remove the metal crucifix he had wedged between his neck and her hand. Her hand was burning, blisters forming all over it.

  “Unless you want him dead, you should do as I say. Now, where’s the mutt?”

  “The fuck ya talking about?” Charlotte deadpanned.

  Prudence couldn’t believe how calm Charlotte and Milo looked. Prudence felt as if her heart had jumped to her throat.

  The vampire stared Charlotte down. "Tell me when ‘Prudence,'" she uttered the name with disgust, "is set to meet the one that brought her here and I'll release him. Don't, and he dies."

  Prudence sighed. She wasn’t sure the vampire was going to do as she said even if Charlotte had the answers.

  “And if I don’t know?” Charlotte asked.

  "Then I have no use for you." The vampire grew claws on her free hand. She moved quicker than Prudence could see, and suddenly Milo was bleeding from a slash in his stomach, and the vampire was throwing him away.

  Charlotte didn’t even have time to fire. The vampire was already behind her. The vampire grabbed Charlotte’s hands and pulled them behind. She was about to sink her fangs into Charlotte’s neck.

  Prudence saw red. She couldn't let anyone hurt her friends. She ran up behind the vampire and grabbed her by the face. Prudence's hand clamped around the vampire's mouth trying to stop the fangs from extending. Small claws grew over Prudence's nails and dug into the vampire's cheeks.

  The vampire’s head moved back, hitting Prudence in the face. She then kicked Charlotte away while still holding onto her hand. Prudence was certain everyone heard the sickening crunch Charlotte’s shoulder made.

  Prud
ence let the vampire go and reached up to feel her broken nose.

  The vampire turned around and swung at Prudence. Prudence ducked, but the vampire’s other hand slashed her across the arm.

  Prudence grabbed the vampire by the shoulders and drove a knee into her stomach. The vampire laughed, as her free hands slammed into Prudence's sides. Prudence was certain the claws touched bone.

  The vampire wrenched her hands away and then attacked with a flurry of blows. She was fast, too fast for Prudence. As Prudence was trying to get the vampire away from Milo and Charlotte, she could feel the blows chipping away at her body. The blows targeted her vital points. Her eye was stinging, and there was blood flowing down her cheeks, arms, and torso. She managed to block a few shots, so her arms were already bruising. Her one punch that landed right on the vampire's jaw barely broke the skin.

  The vampire grabbed Prudence by the hair and slammed her face against the wall. Prudence heard gunshots. The vampire shuddered then turned around. Prudence could see Milo, barely standing, manning a rifle, while Charlotte was holding a gun.

  The vampire started to turn towards them. Milo and Charlotte continued firing. Whatever the bullets were, they were doing a lot of damage. Prudence could hear the vampire’s flesh sizzling.

  Prudence focused and brought all her strength down on the vampire's foot. When the vampire released her hair, she shot up, slamming her outstretched hand into the soft part under the jaw. The claws sunk into the flesh.

  The vampire turned to hit Prudence, but the gunshots made her shudder. Prudence forced her fingers through the flesh, right into the vampire’s mouth.

  All Prudence could think right now was how afraid she was for Milo and Charlotte. The vampire in front of her started to sneer when the gunshots stopped. Prudence knew it right then and there. This person in front of her was a monster. One with no regards for life.

  Prudence let her fangs grow out. All outside sounds melted away, and all she could hear was her own heartbeat and the sounds coming out of the vampire's sneering mouth. With strength she hadn't unleashed since the ambulance, Prudence closed her hand around the vampire's jaw and yanked.